1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate, in general, to temporary structures, and more particularly to temporary structures constructed from corrugated fiberboard.
2. Relevant Background
A political or environmental crisis can be devastating to populations and families, sometimes forcing people from their homes and property. One way to minimize human damage and provide safety and comfort for victims is to provide them a temporary shelter or structure.
A shelter can range from a fabric tent to a transitional building that may last years as the occupants find or construct permanent housing. In an area that has suffered a natural disaster, lack of shelter can have disastrous consequences. In many instances, the need for shelter can last weeks, months, or even years. Conventional portable shelter structures, such as collapsible tents or canopies, usually consist of fabric supported by a rigid frame structure. The rigid frame structure may be formed from multiple, interconnected metallic or plastic tubes. Each time such a portable structure is used, the rigid frame and fabric structures must be assembled and combined together. In order to move or store the structure, the frame must be disassembled and the fabric structure folded or collapsed to a compact size. Portable shelters of this type are versatile, but the assembly process for such a structure can be difficult to perform, offering limited durability. Accordingly, these “tent-like” types of structures offer some immediate shelter from exposure to various environmental conditions but offer little once the immediate threat or emergency has passed. Moreover, canvas and poly-composite “tent” structures are often chemically treated. These toxins can potentially leach into the interior environment threatening the wellbeing of the occupants. And these types of structures offer no security for its inhabitants from assault.
Temporary hard-shell structures are more durable (even in extreme weather conditions) and offer a more substantial living space. There are various designs that provide environments that can be sustained for months and even years. These designs, however, go above and beyond the standard stock emergency shelters in providing more efficient, affordable, and comfortable living quarters. While clearly more durable and reliable than emergency shelters, temporary shelters are generally more complex to build, require additional resources such as electricity and components/tools which may or may not be available, are more expensive, and require additional time and skill to construct. In some instances, a temporary structure may last two to three years but require four to six weeks to construct.
Therefore, there is a need for a temporary structure that is both versatile and easy to construct while also providing a durable, securable, living environment to enable its inhabitants to recover and transition back to permanent housing. Such a structure must be durable, securable, easy to construct, and cost-effective to produce. These and other deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by one or more embodiments of the present invention.
Additional advantages and novel features of this invention shall be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following specification or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, combinations, compositions, and methods particularly pointed out in the appended claims.